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Prepare For The Worst
Prepare For The Worst Emergency Summit Everything was a mess. Ever since Vanessa left her traumatized children back home she had been frantic to help mobilize the kingdoms' leaderships to be prepared for war. Having to explain to them why was a headache in of itself and the means of keeping citizens from panicking was hardly feasible. People were already informed about the fall of Sovereign Seven's capital towers by the Black Wizard, Faer Pleigh, whose terrorist actions have wrought thousands of dead and more injured to terrorized. The prison's destruction was kept contained, relatively speaking, since the prisoners didn't run amok to other populated zones across the continent immediately. When the Council was convening to confirm on an entirely different matter, Hell broke loose and lives were almost lost; the exception being some of the Holy Protectors' bodies found after the fact, and their leader hospitalized from the fight. Morgan Deschain's case was put on hold as a war was declared by Myst, the Blood Queen ruler of the Coven -the elusive and enigmatic underworld organization that secretly ruled in the lawless land of Minstrel- and Black Hell, the infamous powerhouse Dark Guild that manipulated and controlled the many other Dark Mage Guilds that weren't destroyed by vigilantes, Council led forces or Legal Guild interference. Their powers combined, plus the horde of convicts from the Black Vox created an army of enormity that rivaled that of the distant past's encounter with Western Alvarez Empire across the ocean. Had things remained unchanged from that point on, the organization of militaries would've gone on schedule. Instead, it became rushed, as news of extreme polarizing news hit the Council too late to properly react. The first was that Crime Sorcière had attacked Jarris Dowery's Council manor in Bosco, leaving beyond a scars beyond the supernatural -such as the like it'd take weeks to repair some of the vegitation that had been rotten or destroyed entirely- and a startling confirmation; their colleague, Jarris Dowery, was the Dark Dragon King in question, Jadow the Ragnarok Beast. Such news brought a startling clarity just how easily he had deceived them all and brought shame to their name. Choosing to save face -against the wishes of Lucy, of course- they chose to name off "Jarris Dowery" as deceased and killed off by assassins of the Unholy Union of the Coven and Black Hell's ranks. That at least kept the Council's credibility intact and their actions could move forward unimpeded. The second thing, made this emergency summit happen ahead of time. Faer Pleigh, despite being unarmed and without his own aura to call upon, had escaped through a foul magic's means. Scorched marks left at the crime scene indicated something was made to inscribe a sigil -some organic substance of sorts- and that the ignition part had happened a few inches from the bars inward. Given that magic can be inserted into a cell of Magic Sealing Stone is possible, it can't be generated from within means that Faer had found a way to generate enough outside to undo his cell but how it was unclear; the rest of the cell from the ceiling through layers and layers of reinforced material up past the earth above was eradicated, leaving a molten and distorted hole through a massive ejection of Ethernano. Having left with slain and unconscious guards in his wake, none alive could properly identify what happened or what Faer had done to achieve this goal. All that matters to them is that Myst's arguably most useful asset had freed himself and is on the loose once more. Given personal testimonies marking him as volatile and irrational at worst while cool and conniving at best, he's a danger to everyone and everything as much as his masters are. After reviewing the information, Mangetsu sighed, looking to the Chairman and fanning himself casually while speaking lowly to him, "I think it's about time we brought it out." "It?" Vanessa inquired, her eyes looking to Mangetsu, both wondering what he meant but also highly suspicious she knew what he was inferring. Glaring towards the Chairman, she asked again with a more accusing tone. "Hold on, you want to unleash that upon the land? The war hasn't even properly started and you're considering such drastic measures-" "Begging your pardon, Mrs. Alexander," The hat-adorned Mangetsu straightend up, closing the fan with an audible snap, tapping its folds against the lip of his eye-obscuring scalp covering. "But we are well into this war, even if the Council protected nations haven't fought yet. Midi and Joya are now both strongholds of the Unholy Union. Their main headquarters, despite the Punishment Force's best efforts, cannot be located in Minstrel and the territory they've taken are reinforced with very elaborate and dangerous barriers. "Sin, now being confirmed as non-existent -with Jarris being on the record, assassinated- leaves us one less ally. Our contacts in Enca says they're keeping out of the affair unless they are attacked directly, as always. Pergrande Kingdom is only fortifying its defenses and is basically sitting back, waiting for its opportunity to sieze the spoils of war. Add that Iceberg recently openly declared war against Stella -breaking its treaty with the Council it made with us hundreds of years ago- and welcoming the Unholy Union through their borders so long as they wipe out its neighbours. "Desierto is a nation of nomadic villages and more than likely keep to themselves, with only raiders and mercenaries inhabiting its borders. That leaves only Bellum in between Pergrande along with Iceberg, but obviously they won't go for them thanks to the latter's cooperation. Iceberg's underhanded alliance will economically fund their war effort past what they already had in their treasury plus re-arm them with all the Lacrima they could want, including their own soldiers and mages. While Caelum is willing to help us, they won't commit until we find us a proper target so they aren't in our shoes too. "So, that being painfully made clear in more bite full examples for you," Mangetsu coldly replied, his eyes locking onto hers. "In what way are we not 'officially' in this war yet?" "We can still come to an agreement, maybe a ceasefire so no further blood can be shed-" "That's woefully naive of you, Vanessa. You're usually a bit more understanding of the situation-" "What Vanessa is trying to say," Lucy intervened on her behalf -earning a look and a slight smile of relief from her- before she looked to the Chairman and the other members. "We don't know what you mean bring it out. What is it? I thought we made it clear when this Council was reformed three hundred years ago that we'd never create weapons of mass destruction ever again?!" The Chairman had enough on his plate with the war, but the revealation of Jarris Dowery as Jadow had complicated things. And with the uncovering of Godfried's report, the damage to Sin and the sheer extent of the deceptions were brought to light, making the Council look like fools. It put them all in a precarious position. Even without the war waging hell upon their lands, to out that they were decieved by a myth made flesh would be unthinkable, it was paramount that the people's faith in their centralized rule remained unshaken, and to that end the result would still have been to cover up the truth. He thought deeply about what Mangetsu suggested, knowing that there would be a great chance that their trump card would need to be played.. To awaken it would be a war crime, one permitted under dire circumstances but a war crime nontheless. "Do you really assume we've gone back against that oath?" he asked Lucy. "To call this...thing a weapon, firstly, would be a mistake. Secondly, it's older than all of us, a relic that our ancestors left us in times of dire need. Come. I'll show you...the sin of the Council." Flanking the Chairman were Tobias Lytten, the Councilor of Enca and Ulric Drayten, Councilor of Caelum. Both of the men were unnerved by the calmness the Chairman showed despite what was to come. "Sir, you know that opening the chamber requires all the nations to be present. Without Jarris...Jadow, rather, we can't even open the door." Ulric argued. "I've already thought of that Ulric. And so did our forefathers. There's a failsafe to bypass the locks, just in case any nations turns traitor or fell before we could gather, and it must be woken." The Chairman said sternly before walking over to the wall and pressing his palm against it causing a section near where he stood to rise out of the way, revealing a set of stairs into the dark below. Lacrima along the stairwell began to light, giving them a means to see. Beckoning the others to follow, he led them down what felt like a dozen floors below the basement of the building to a great onyx door marked with the emblems that represented all the nations of Ishgar. The ones who's respective councilors were present began to glow. The Chairman pulled a white stone from his robes and inserted it into a small opening in the door, The remaining sigils briefly lit up and the door opened to them. In the chamber beyond,the air felt dead and cold, as if nothing alive had passed the door in hundreds of years. Walking down another short flight of stairs, they came to what looked like a throne room, with a figure placed upon the chair in the center. Various tubes and wires connected the being with unseen machines that were likely housed in the space between this floor and the basement above. "This is our trump card...our sin. Behold the Hybrid Theory, God Serena." the Chairman said, more for the benefit of Lucy and Vanessa. Mangetsu had known exactly what was down here. Thus, when he followed the Chairman, he kept his stoic countenance that he had retained since the meeting's escalation. Vanessa followed, her expectations guarded and her temperament of sound mind. Lucy, however, was completely taken aback by this sudden development and looked around with wide-eyed of intrigue and morbid interest. When they reached a cold, displaced space, the three looked on with mixed expressions. Mangetsu stared coldly at the thing. He who was considered the greatest accomplishment of magical sorcery and genetic experimentation. Done beyond his time, the project known as "Hybrid Theory" was thought up during the conception of the Council -and the Council countries' existences- back during the Era of Dragons. Dragon Slayers were created in the hundreds, so the idea that to thin the herd of amateurs and defects, one could make an ultimate Slayer with multiple natures/elements of a Dragon's Seed crammed into one body. This was shelved, and repurposed in using the updated "Dragon Lacrima" to artificially create Slayers. This was case by case successful, with the 2nd Generation, as they were dubbed, coming with noteworthy Laxus Dreyar of Fairy Tail and the Dark Mage Cobra of Oracion Seis. Third Generations were modified First Gens and only had two cases of success due to limited First Generations left alive, making this resolution more about that existing Slayers have the ability to be enhanced but little more than that is known. Essentially, Hybrid Theory's pentultimate goal was to use eight Dragon Lacrima and join them together into one body. It didn't matter if it was human, a Slayer or a doll-like aparatus, the tests had been repeatedly resulted in failure after defect after failure. Serena -"God" to reflect his status-, is the only successful candidate, exceeding expectations and believing that he'll be the only one. Despite an additional failure met with the recreation of Sting Eucliffe, the other project doesn't seem to gaining any traction as the genuine achievement met of creating a being of eight draconic natures in one body. To Mangetsu, he was an abomination and a tool to be used by the present Council at the expense of morals and ethics by the previous generations. Vanessa looked at this thing with pity. She could feel Mangetsu's shifting gaze at her and he'd know that she looked not that surprised, given what she had researched. Most documentation was destroyed or lost over time, with the little known facts of God Serena and the Hybrid Theory was scarce; terrifying her of its potential that was breached. In her mind, she saw a broken individual who was a shell of its former self, now shackled by the Council to do the bidding of elected officials. It had no free will and no dreams, it was a soulless entity. Lucy, on the other hand... "This is horrible!" Lucy cried out, her voice ringing in the cold illuminated containment room, her hands balling up at her hips and her robes fluttering as she looked over to the Chairman and the others who had such reserved looks. "This is inhuman! How dare you keep him here, knowing what's been done to him! That is not just illegal, that is immoral and cruel!" Pointing at the chair, she looked at the Chairman deliberately, though she didn't spare daggers at Mangetsu or the others who looked suspiciously knowledgeable of this. "How long has he been down here, Chairman?! How long do you plan to keep him here, against his free will, chaining him up and becoming something just as horrible as the supposed dark mages we fight?!" "Lucy, that's-" "I'm NOT talking to you!" Councilor Heartfilia jabbed a finger at Mangetsu, stifling his response, returning back to the Chairman. "Your authority. Your responsibility. Your sin. It falls to you to know about this and to keep a human being locked up like this, when he has done no wrong! Unless you'd like to tell me what he's done to earn such a horrible treatment?!" The Chairman sighed, unable to refute the truth Lucy spoke. "While you'd be right under normal circumstances, this isn't a normal human. It's the Hybrid Theory, a weapon." he told her. "And if we didn't have it, we'd be unable to fight the Queen of the Coven." It was hard not to see that one one hand, Lucy was entirely right, what had been done was immoral and perhaps they weren't any better than the evil forces that crashed at the doors of all who cried out for peace. But it was one life for many over the centuries, any sane person would call that a fair deal. It was impossible to fathom just how many were spared by unleashing Serena time and again in times of crisis. Tobias spoke up. "Then what would you suggest we do, Councilor Heartfilia? That we cut him loose and leave him to run rampant with that kind of power?! He's comparable to the Demon God from a few years ago! Even Jadow would have a hard time against him!" The Chairman rounded on his aide. "Enough, Tobias. We don't need all this infighting. All that matters is that we have one way to fight back against the darkness that threatens all of our citizens who see us as protectors of the law and civil order against the hoards of chaos that seek to destroy us." "But sir, What we're doing is no better. How can we claim to be just and righteous when we're no different than our enemies? Isn't it a bit hypocritical to sleep soundly knowing that to preserve the law and order that we break the very freedoms we swear to protect?" Ulric countered, balling his fists. "I can't believe how far we've fallen and it took that Armed Wizard telling us off for me to see it. We're willing to take a girl from her family, just because she's got a connection to Jadow, and we've kept an innocent man imprisoned as a tool for ages long forgotten...we really are no better than the Coven or Black Hell!" he yelled. Despite all the screaming and yelling, the being known as Hybrid Theory did not stir or even seem to acknowledge the happenings, so deep in slumber as he was. "I agree with Tobias, and understand Ulric," Mangetsu inserted, smoothly placing him back into the fold of dialogue after Lucy had shutted him down. While Lucy's eyes were hardened, he could tell she was at least hearing them out. Smiling sadly, he shrugged as he affirmed with a gesture at the man, deathly still and unaware of his surroundings. "It is a cruel thing, the past Council has done to the man, restricting his freedom and imprisoning him here without sensation of any kind. Unlike a machine, he needs those cables to sustain his life, as the spell invoked on him by every Chairman puts him in this stasis akin to death. Until he's awakened, he is pretty much dead to this world until we awaken him for this necessary function; that function solely being to save our world from a tide of darkness;" The Councilor turned to Lucy and Vanessa, seeing them as the most indecisive next to Ulric. "You both saw, tasted the power of the Blood Queen yourself. Even with Victor, a Mage equal to that of the greatest of Saints that live in our era, couldn't lay a finger on her unless he sacrificed everything around him. We cannot use such brash tactics when we have a specialist who can cull this evil more thoroughly than any wizard alive. We need God Serena and the Hybrid Theory he carries within him." Lucy was conflicted, to say the least. Her rational thoughts was to always use her heart when dealing with the cold pragmatism the Council often dipped into. She had been the soul of the Council for many generations -thanks to her condition- ever since Tartaros had wiped out the Council before them. She had known Levy personally and she was a wonderful Chairman who helped pull together the fallen representatives of the magic societies of nations to be more proactive and helpful for the continent. But this Chairman seemed weary and tired, easily skewing his morals for the sake of justifying "The Greater Good" over the oppressed few. Vanessa spoke, drawing Lucy's attention, "I know that Myst is a threat and a menace. My husband is a brilliant mage and perhaps the most learned, skilled individual among the magic arts. He has touched the precipice of heaven and sunk to the lowliest of darkness and has remained pure; unfazed by the witch's temptations. But still, even with that kind of prestige and power, Myst is a monster of unprecedented ability. If we are to keep the deaths of those dear to us limited to a handful of casualties we must act swiftly and decisively; even if it means using another human being as a living weapon." Lucy squinted her eyes and bit her lower lip, her hands squeezing tightly. She had half a mind to undo whatever curse Serena was in and take him far away, but she had no fathoming how it worked or if that'd be morally right for a man who's lived no other way. Silently, she promised that she'd try to ensure that the man isn't laid to rest again -should he succeed- and ensure he can live his own life beyond servitude so he can experience what real living is truly like. "I'll agree on the condition that we don't put him back under after this and let him stay awake on his own accord. If not by his will then at least on a probation period to keep him from causing undue damage to the known world. Do I make myself clear?" Lucy asked, her eyes steeled at her colleagues, making sure they all heard and understood what she said would be by her own volition. The Chairman nodded, meeting Lucy's gaze with a steely one of his own, knowing that the only way to unleash the Hybrid Theory to save their world from the Black Rosary Axis. "Then I won't be the one to wash my hands of the blood that we've all been afraid of for centuries. If he goes out of control, it'll be on your head, not mine." he told her. He was worried that the Hybrid Theory, if left unchecked, would cause mass chaos that could never be delt with, not with his level of power. "Then I will also bear that risk." Ulric said. "But if it comes down to it, we'll lock him back up. As much as I am against this entire mess, we still have to look out for the innocent people who want nothing to do with this." He felt sick admitting that he was willing to take another's free will, especially after proclaiming that he knew they were in the wrong, but his country counted on him to set things right. If the Coven and it's allied forces did indeed own all of Minstral. Caelum was one of the territories most at risk if something went wrong. And that's where his loyalty lied, to his people first and formost. "Yeah, but you aren't living next to the biggest evil any of us have ever seen. Guess who's right to our north in Enca? SIN! And because of the Dark Dragon King, we've been blind to the sufferings of our neighbors for ages." Tobias growled, fully aware that despite Sin's decline beginning long before his time, he was just as responsible as his fathers were. His country at one time had been the closest allies Sin's people had, with both countries sharing common ancestors, and the machinations of the Ragnarok Beast had blinded everyone to the truth. Even the customs they had observed since time immemorial had been lost because of that tyrant's blight. Tobias himself was the latest of the Councilors of Enca to recieve a dagger forged by a renowned blacksmith family from the country across the seas, and he would be the last. "Until Jadow is killed...I won't let the Hybrid Theory out of our control." Rise, O' Killer Of Mine Mangetsu had taken to the situation was nothing short but Black Magic at its softest. Arranged in a circle, all of the Councilors worked in unison to make this a seamless effort so no one would have to exert much Aura for this task. In conjunction with each other, one Councilor would stand at a designated circle that would stretch a magical line to the other, flowing back to another and eventually arrange into a pentagram, with God Serena's throne being the center. There was no incantation, perhaps to keep knowledge buried or more than likely to let this silent evil they commit be unsaid and keep their conscious less tainted. Thus, Lucy Heartfilia to Vanessa Alexander, the collection of Wizards eventually surged all of their magical energies through the complex magic circle and sent a revitalizing jolt into him. He spasmed, convulsed and then lie silent. The machines behind him beeped in response and after a minute, automatically switched off. Hisses were made as chords acted like snakes, releasing arcane fangs of needles from his flesh and pulling back. The stoic man, robed in black fatigues, stirred and his eyes opened languidly. Rising up slowly, he stumbled, arching a bit out of balance and then seemed to fall face first- -into a somersault, rising up with both arms spread outward -fingers forming V symbols- and his head arched vertically. Twirling on his heels, he leaned to the left and then to the right, gesturing erratically around his head while making grunts and huffs each time. Finally, he stood completely erect and palmed his hands together in a prayer stance; opening his eyes and smiling almost gleefully at the flabbergasted Council. "Thine company, no matter the era, is always in awe of my grace and poise every awakening!" He proclaimed, bowing his head and looking up with lower lip bitten by his teeth, nose scrunched and eyes squinted with disturbing joy. "Every time! Never change, Serena!" Composing himself again, he leaned in the air -defying gravity- and stroked his chin as he looked to Lucy, then Mangetsu, then Ulric, then Vanessa, then Tobias and finally the Chairman. "So, you must be Mister Replacement of the previous Chairman. Orion, I think his name was. A bit of a sourpuss, but he knew of my necessity. What year is it, if I may ask and what spurs on my return to the living world yet again?" Ulric and Tobias stared slackjaw as the supposedly divine "God" posed and flipped about so energetically and seemed to put on a show of dexterity for those who woke him from his sleep. Even the Chairman couldn't exactly fathom what they were bearing witness to, unaware of the nature of the one who reposed under the Council's floors. For a minute, nobody spoke until the Hybrid Theory questioned for information. Only then did the Council's leader take a step forward to address the entity that no was unsealed. "Yes, I am Orion's successor. And it is by my will and order than you have been freed from your endless and ageless slumber. The year is X1092 and the current situation is dire. War is spreading throughout the world, and we are unsure of our chances without you, mighty Serena." the Chairman spoke in a reverant tone, worried that despite the jovial and positive demeanor their trump card displayed that if they displeased him in the slightest, then all would be for naught. "Armies are gathering beyond these walls, in lands far from here, that seek to destroy the world that many times before you have rescued from the dark. Please, God Serena, once more we humbly ask that you grant us your aid." he continued, kneeling before the Slayer of Old. "Not just armies, but a dragon of unimaginable might...One that no modern Slayer can hope to compare to." Tobias brought up, earning a scowling glance from Ulric, who was still disapproving of the nature of their trump card's imprisonment for the last few centuries, seeing now that what had been referred to as merely it ages was a person and had his own identity. Mangetsu understood the signs of shock and disgust from Lucy and Vanessa. Serena was hardly putting up a dignified display of his person at the forefront. But he knew that this was all part of his personality, if not an outright act to mess with them. The way he deemed the Chairman "Mister Replacement" meant he had no real attachment to the current generation that woke him. He was here to do a job and enjoy his profession; to a near macabre level of disturbing. When Tobias spoke of the dragon, Serena's near placid response to the pleas and diatribe about the current era's plight, his attention sparked entirely. Eyes sparkled, his person vanished outright in front of the Chairman and swept up next to the Councilor who spoke of it, "Dragon, you say?! You mean, they aren't extinct anymore?! This is wonderful-er-terrible news! Wait," He stopped short, looking to them with scrutinizing eyes, "You didn't find a means to grow them or bring them back from the dead, did you?" "Spirit King, NO!" Lucy gawked, finding herself mortified at the insinuation. "Unfortunately, we were deceived into believing a colleague of ours was a representative of Sin; who was Jadow, the Ragnarok Beast in disguise," Vanessa explained, her tone somber and her eyes sullen at the memory of him. And what he did to her daughters, by extension. Sniffing the air, God Serena could attest that their story was true. Hacking up a bit, he spat out in disgust and wiped under his nostrils with a hungry look emerging in his eyes, "Ah, that'd be a Darkness Dragon alright. And Jadow? I remember stories about him from the old days, back when Acnologia was still kicking. That bastard and I have never crossed paths, but he'll find that I am a man who never let's his prey escape. Still, given his nature, it could be risky for me to challenge him outright. Do any of you know where he is?" "Unfortunately, he fled away from his Council manor not long ago in Bosco," Mangetsu informed, more appraised of the issue and picked up where Vanessa left off. "Another Slayer tried to kill him but the beast escaped before he could finish the job. We're still repairing the damage-" "Oho! I can probably pick up his scent there! Don't restore the earth yet, it'll give me a good starting point into where he might have gone," He ordered, getting an affirmed nod from Mangetsu. Looking back at the Chairman, he rubbed his hands enthusiastically together, now more invigorated with news of the legendary King of Darkness still kicking. "Now, what's this war you said you're having? I thought all your neighbours got along for the past few centuries. What went wrong, Mister Replacement? Famine? Trade War Number Twelve gone awry? Lacrima Terrorist Bombing?" "Actually, a criminal organization known as the Coven has recently joined with the Black Hell Guild and declared war on us." Tobias told the Hybrid Theory. "They're headed by a vampire, one who's power cannot be matched by any Wizard Saint of the current generation, and somehow they were able to even break into the Black Vox prison and free every inmate there, bolstering their forces with some of the most infamous criminals of any age. And we're pretty screwed because of that." "I beg you forgive the youth for his direct manner, but what he says is true. There was nothing we could do except to raise you as so many others before us have so that you many lend us your considerable might against the evils that seek our ruin." the Chairman said, recalling the enormity of what the Coven's leader had endured at the hands of Victor, returning without a scratch on her despite the incredible amout of damage she should have taken from the attack. "None of the current Wizard Saints have even a fraction of the power needed to take down the Blood Queen. She's a true immortal." "And I have a feeling she was just toying with us...She didn't use the magic that let her break out of all the barriers that ensnared her again, as if she wanted us to survive." Ulric added, remembering how easily she and the Fracture Wizard combined had decimated the binding spells of three hightly powerful mages as if they were nothing. "Hmmmm, a vampire of that caliber is more certainly of the highest tier of blood suckers," God Serena contemplated aloud, cupping his chin and furrowing his brow. "What magic does she possess, that you know of?" "I can't name all of them, per say, but she has the capacity of breaking free of the Chairman's Dimensional and Rune based Barriers. And given the telltale signs, she has access to the infamous witch -Pandora-'s particular magic, Hex, which breaks and dispels the fabric of most spells she's aware of while also doing nasty things to the living and the dead. She also has the same magic that one of her lackies stole awhile ago; Fire Dragon Slayer Magic and Cosmos, the Dimension Magic of the Fiore Royal Bloodline." "She has all of that, plus immortality? Damn, no wonder you guys hit the panic button, haha!" He laughed boisterously, seemingly unafraid and more amused by the development. "This is no laughing matter!" Lucy chided the man, her eyes glaring and her hand thrown out to the side as she got his attention. "They've already killed thousands of people and have freed hundreds of powerful illegal mages! They even took over Joya, the Magic Hermitage in their mountainous home and took control of Midi, the Sorcerer Slave State to the south. Not only that, but they're allied with the strongest and most elusive Dark Guild of this era, the Black Hell organization!" "Hm, sounds like a real army of bad guys. Still, wars aren't my forte; I tend to leave quite a trail of bodies and scarred land in my wake, tis why the Chairman had put me away all those years ago for fear I may run rampant or get too carried away," He shrugged, admitting it matter of factly with a small smile. "Perhaps he's right. Maybe the Dragon Lacrima left too much draconic instinct in me and it's impossible for me to be human. Or maybe he was worried over nothing. Either way, there's a reason he made up the "Four Gods of Ishgar", to hide my real identity and the powers that come from them. People always get nervous whenever a Slayer shows up, and I can't blame them for feeling insecure. The weak always fear the strong, it's just a fact of life." "So, you'll help us?" Vanessa asked, unsure what he was getting at. "I kind of have to, Miss Councilor," Serena posed with a pair of fingers finger-gunning at her, eye winking and right leg bent up in a dynamic fashion. "Otherwise, you guys might put me back to sleep and never wake me up, haha!" "I...see," Mrs. Alexander replied, partly relieved and a little disturbed by the man's penchant of spontaneous poses. "That said," God Serena spoke, dropping one foot to the ground, crossing his arms over his chest with curled fingers in a readied manner. "I think it's time to let the world know, that it's hero has come for them...but in order to do that-" Gesturing to the Chairman, in an U-shaped backward lean, the cloak splaying out undignified against his bare form beneath as he shouted aloud, "CAN SOMEONE FETCH ME MY GOD-LY GARMENTS?! I CANNOT DO THIS WITHOUT THEM!" The Chairman and his aids were once more stunned into silence at the oddity that was their trump card. His random posing and posturing were, they assumed, to be a quirk of eccentricity from the sealing process repeated endlessly throughout history that he was put under or even the strain of his unique magic powers, assumptions they dared no voice out loud. "Ulric, you and Tobias go fetch Serena's clothing from the back room over there." the Chairman said after a brief pause to collect himself, pointing to a storage room along the right wall. "Take care not to damage them, they are quite fragile after all this time and it would ill suit our savior to have any indignities thrown upon him from your carelessness." The two swiftly obeyed, glad that they wouldn't bear witness to any more of the legendary Dragon Slayer's antics, at least for a brief window of time. They found the room filled with multiple copies of the same style of clothing, obviously spares for emergencies and what they could only imagine to be spoils of victory, mementos of Serena's previous times awoken to save all of Ishgar from things beyond the common mage. Amid the little pile of things, they saw a number of precious metals and stones, weapons that had long since turned to rust and other artifacts. They grabbed one of the ensembles that they were tasked to bring and returned to the flamboyant hero. "We will head upstairs and let you dress yourself in peace, God Serena. When you are ready, please join us in the meeting chamber at your convenience." And with that, the Chairman bowed politely and turned to head back along the corridor and to the surface world that had no idea of what had just come to life, a miracle of science and magic in harmony for centuries. "Oh? I understand if its too much to see my GOD-LY attributes!" Serena posed, letting his robes fall to the ground and his nude form on total display. "No, we have better things to do," Vanessa blankly replies, pullng a blushing Lucy along while Mangetsu yawns and walks back up with the rest of the Councilors. A chilling wind made Serena shudder and his act fell flat. Still, he couldn't help but find a little bit of life was in this Council compared to the last one. Orion was a hardass and a bunch of old geezers ran it, for however long that seemed to last. Still, that was around a hundred years ago, things have definitely changed in that time. Darkness Dragons, Vampires and an army of evil Dark Mages have risen up to challenge Ishgar's stability and the Council controlled world of Legal Mages. It was looking like a good wake-up call to the strongest wizard of the world. Mangetsu looked to the others as soon as they reached the top of the room, his breath exhaled once he felt fresh air waft around them, "He's certainly...chummy." "Don't you mean, crazed?" Vanessa dryly retorted, her eyes rolling at remembering his erratic postures and dance-like poses. "Obviously being put to sleep over and over for hundreds of years has addled his mind." "Or it could be his unique charm?" Lucy guessed, giggling a little as she remembered how her own Guild acted quite irrational and hotheaded during her time in Fairy Tail. "I dunno, he just seemed...a bit more like a person than I thought he'd be. It's a bit refreshing to see someone be so energetic, even if its for a job." "Don't get too attached, Miss Heartfilia," The hat and clogged toting Councilor warned, his eyes drawn to hers with a cautionary gaze. "He may act like a human being, but his blood pumps the power of a Slayer in him. Hybrid Theory lives in that body; a body that can't belong to any mortal of this plane than him." "Quite true." Mangetsu's eyes widened, hearing a light step hit the ground, a whoosh of air breathed into the chamber. Turning around -startled by how quickly he got up after they left him- he saw him dressed in his choice attire. A high-collared robed jacket had black silk leading to a dull red-gold waist to a kama skirt below, black pants leading to a pair of black boots. The back of his garbs was affixed with a circular wheel of blades, akin to that of a divine symbol, leading more credence to the title of "God" being a suffix in his name; that and being part of the "Four Gods of Ishgar" long ago. Arms crossed, he walked past Mangetsu, his eyes locked onto his as he treaded to the center of the Council chamber, "I'm not a normal man. Who else can take the burden of Hybrid Theory than I? I bow before no god, authority or dragon. I am a being beyond such trivial hiearchies. My task is to dispatch divine justice and to cull evil in all forms, even if it isn't dragons. "But I'm getting ahead of myself," He chuckled, almost ominously, sweeping around with arms spread out, and his head looking up at the mural painted ceiling of the chamber. "Please, can you tell me what the Ten Wizard Saints are doing in this era? I'd like to know if you can gather my colleagues, so it'd be a bit more...organized in how we deal with this vampire's dark alliance. The sooner we deal with them, the sooner I can go to find your dark dragon king." Ulric was stunned. Climbing the stairs alone would take at least a few minutes. He couldn't conceive of any human being able to climb all the way up that quickly. "The Wizard Saints...We can gather them soon enough, and you may discuss with them how best to take on the threat of the Coven and their leader." The Chairman said, feeling as if they could have a chance against the threats that exceeded their understanding. With Serena and the Ten Saints together they would have enough of a force to at least push back and reclaim their homes that were taken. "It may take a few days for us to summon all of them, so I beg that you bear with us and perhaps accustom yourself to the modern era while you wait." Tobias headed to the door. "I'll start calling them for a meeting so we can finally fight back." he said, bowing politely to both the Chairman and Serena before exiting the meeting chamber, closing the door behind him. He wanted nothing more than to see the Black Rosary Alliance burn and the blight of Jadow removed from history once and for all. "It'd probably behoove us to also get in touch with Victor, seeing as he 'owns' one of the Saints," Mangetsu exaggerated, showing a discontented glare at Vanessa who just rolled her eyes in response. "Given Godfried is easily in the top four, we should make sure he can at least call when we need him." "I'm sure my husband is doing everything in his power to maneuver his company and his Guild to help the countries that are also his customers," She sighed, reciting what she had been saying for the past week she's been stuck in session with her colleagues. "It's bad for business, and his vision, if our continent falls to ruin because of a literal bloodthirsty vampire." "Oh how noble," He grumbled back, snorting offhandedly. "May I ask, who is this Victor?" Serena inquired, his eyes looking to Lucy for answers. "Oh, he's Vanessa's husband," She mentioned with a gesture to the other woman, whom simply crossed her arms with observation of the Hybrid Theory. "They have a family and everything back in Fiore. If you didn't catch our grumpy, lazy colleague's meaning of his poor choice of words, Godfried is part of the Phoenix Guild. It's one of the few, freelance mercenary guilds that works strictly for the company he uses." "Ha! He's got the right idea! Too often the Saints are often left in just Legal Guilds, unused and rusting away, to no avail. This Victor has his head on straight, if only in a very shrewd business sense, haha!" God Serena guffawed, much to the majority of the Council's chagrin. Then, he walked to the center of the chamber, and stomped on one foot, then the other, "Now, it's time." "Time?" Lucy asked? "Time for what?" Vanessa asked nervously. "To tell the world," He answered, hands clenched and a light burning in his eyes that was a golden ember. "That I'' am '''here'!" "Wait, you don't mean-?!" Mangetsu didn't get out his protest in time. In a split instant, the whole of the structure was illuminated by a raw, enormous atmosphere of writhing energy. A howling noise rattled within everyone's bones, their blood boiling and their minds filling with the sound of eight dragons. Outside, the whole of the land became a pyre of light that shot into the sky, a pulse shooting outward from that point out from Seven that'd travel across the continent and shoot from one point of the world to the next. From Victor, looking up from his desk with a faint bewilderment that something was off to Yashin Shiyonin of Black Hell smiling with recognition and a distant Faer Pleigh turning to sense something palpable from a far away place. This energy pulse didn't stop, continuing to spread, farther and farther to the far off seas to the Alvarez Empire to the eastern borders of the Pergrande Kingdom. This Aura was unlike anything Mangetsu, Vanessa and Lucy had felt in their lives; this truly belonged to the strongest Wizard of the World. The Chairman couldn't fathom what he had felt, it was like standing in the epicenter of an explosion, the pressure was undeniable and had he not been prepared, the force would have completely overwhelmed him. Regardless of that, he was in awe of what he witnessed; it had proven one thing to him, the legends were true after all. Myst shuddered, feeling an incredible magic aura rip across the continent, one that exceeded everything she had felt from anyone that wasn't Jadow. Even in three hundred years of scheming and plotting, conquoring and taking, nothing came close to the enormity of what she sensed. Such power transcended all logic, all reason, much like her own. It was alien and it briefly overwhelmed her, leaving her dizzy and confused for a moment. Saleen, ever by her Queen's side, looked concerned. "That's the second time in the span of a week that you've become disoriented you know. I'm not going to let you do this to yourself. If you don't stop pushing-" she started to say, worried that with the vampire's health that things would spiral out of control, only to be cut off. "No...I just felt something." the Blood Queen replied, her lips curling into a smile. "I'll bet that was Hybrid Theory. He's awake." she said with a sense of malicious glee. If her little war was enough for the Council to awaken their trump card so soon, then they were in more dire straits than she imagined. If she could topple the strongest mage of Ishgar, the resultant loss of morale would be enough to give her just one more advantage to take hold of and spread her conflagration of madness and violence through all the corners of the world. Across the continent, Jadow stirred within the confines of his cavern, shadows slinking about his form and solid masses of darkness dripped wetly onto the stone floor. "So...they've called... for you... God of Dragon Slayers." His words were slow and his breathing was heavy and wheezing gasps followed. "Wait until I have recovered fully and I...I'll make it worth your while..." he groaned. Even the few days he spent recovering had left him in a broken state, though it overjoyed him to know that other than the Slayer of Light, the vampire or his progeny born of blackness, there were still things in the world that could at least entertain him or give him a challenge, a dying breed for the end of an age. Category:The Phoenix Saga Category:Vanessa Alexander Category:Mangetsu Category:Lucy Heartfilia (Mangetsu20) Category:Crime Sorcière